Over the next decade, King’s hard work and determination paid off. In 1966, she became the top-ranked female tennis player in the world for the first time.
Despite her success, King wasn’t satisfied. Female tennis players received less pay than men did. Also, the U.S. tennis federation held fewer tournaments for women, which meant fewer opportunities to earn money.
In 1970, a fed-up King decided to boycott a tournament that paid the men’s champion eight times more than the women’s winner. She convinced eight other top players to join her in starting their own all-female tournament. Each agreed to be paid just one dollar.
“We decided that any girl born in this world would have a place to compete,” King says. “We were willing to give up our careers for future generations.”
The risky plan paid off and led to more tournaments with better pay for women. In 1971, King became the first female athlete to earn more than $100,000 in a single season. She founded the Women’s Tennis Association two years later.